Greetings greetings viewer viewer. I figured each and every one (oh the irony) of you would be at least moderately interested in the process I used to create the video I posted earlier. So, without further ado, I begin.
I was chose my base topic - rebellion - because I figured it would be the easiest topic that I could think of that I could create an argument for and relate to daily life, considering all the unrest in the Middle East as well as here at home in the US. Being the blatant liberal that I am, I generally view the protesters in a positive light, and this bias has inevitably shaped my presentation of the topic. I set out wanting to explain how the protests had shaped the world around them, but found that conveying how the protests were brought about was much easier to represent visually. Heaped with emotion as this piece is, I wanted to convey the energy and solidarity of the movement for Democracy in the Middle East, and I chose my images carefully around this wish.
To begin, I chose a black and white image of racism in the US, and yes that effect was intentional. First off, black and white photos are thought of like relics, pieces of a long-forgotten era. The color scheme is similar for the first group of photos: the point I was trying to get across was that oppression is an outdated method, something that belongs in a time before mass-freedom and democracy. There is another historical parallel; in the time of the US civil rights movement, the distinction between black and white people was much clearer, and it was much easier to consider them to be different. With the advent of the colorful images of those in the Middle East, the line is blurred, and people are seen more as equals than opposites. The reason why the images were of US happenings is that oppression comes in all societies, where the ruling class tries to maintain the status quo. The protesters in both of the series of photos were fighting the ruling class, and that is why they are side-by-side. Sometimes authority must be challenged, and in this video I argue that those in power are by no means infallible.
Before the transition to color, there is an outline of a police officer beating a protester presumably. This is juxtaposed with the picture two places further, a colorful rendering of the community fighting back. The roles and the color are reversed, and a new vitality is given to the image of the protesters because it it. One outdated policeman comes up against the full force of the protective voice of a community which seeks to release the chains on its people. In the first two colored pictures, there is a central figure, with hand raised, indicating that they are the leaders of the rebellion. Seeing the protesters hurt and tied up earlier gives a sense of awe and reverence for these leaders; I hoped to convey my own reverence for them, after all.
There are people of many skin colors in this video: resistance to oppression is not an isolated seed, but it has spread to every corner of the world, seeking to reproduce for the good of the people. The man without a shirt standing atop a car resembles a modern day jesus: leading his people toward freedom. He holds his hands out not violently but imploringly, as if asking for peace and justice. With this image I wanted to again convey the power, courage, and virtue of those leading these protests. A lone man raises his hand, while surrounded by police in a public area. This is not just a group effort, every individual has battles they must face, alone if necessary. Sometimes much must be risked to attain freedom. The picture of the crowd with the flag is meant to show that this is a popular movement, taken up by entire populaces to embrace ideals in places where they haven't gained much ground previously. Of course "Peace in the Middle East" (you can probably guess which picture I'm talking about) is meant to serve as a capstone for the peace, the crux of the revolution, and a common ideal which many strive for. The three-word phrase at the end solidifies the positive view of the protests.
The music is at the start seems bleak and depressing, but it only begins so. As the images of oppression get more graphic, the beat rises to a crescendo until the public discontent boils over and the first colorful image arrives to signal that the status quo has gotta go. The most intense part of the piece is in the middle, with all of the photos of the protesters. The loudest part went along with the protesters because, again, I wished to convey their energy and passion through music. Towards the end, the music lowers, and nearly all is quiet when the text "JOIN THE REVOLUTION" comes into view, sometimes opposition need not be beefed up with fanfare.
For the more technical among you, I have some bland rhetorical terms to hurl at you. In this video there are several claims: first off, the people in these protests are full of energy, and I use the loud music and the empathetic expressions on the faces of the protests, as well as the raised hands to show this. Secondly, the people leading the charge are brave souls: there is always someone at the forefront spearheading the effort and leading the group, despite the grim possibility of police abuse highlighted in the beginning. This is especially true for the man standing above the crowd, he occupies a unique and powerful position, and his height in the picture is meant to correlate with his virtue. Lastly, those in authority are not always right. I often hear stories, past and present, about police brutality when handling protesters, and the grotesque images are meant to show that the crimes that they are capable of committing are often horrendous. Authority is not infallible, and thus subject to change or replacement. My warrants are that having energy and vitality indicated a love for life, the basic humanity, and thus freedom; after all, demagogues are often exuberant. Also, I assumed that being a leader of the people, as opposed to the ruling class alone, indicated virtue. Lastly, I assumed that being fallible indicates that replacement is fair.
That's all folks, hope you had at least a decent time reading through this dull description of my efforts in creating this video. Cheers, and have a nice day!
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